FFX2: Ties That Bind
by LurkerLordX
Summary: The Gullwings, now including Tidus, continue their adventure, but what they find in a ruined Machinea city will question their past, present, and future. Also, for additional behind the story info check out
1. Berserker

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 1: Berserker**

"I've got you girls!"

They hadn't expected the ambush this soon after penetrating the ruined city, Y.R.P. were caught off guard and even with all their experience and power were about to become fiend food, if not for Him. Reacting with the speed of a Blitz Ace enhanced by the Auto Haste Effect built into his accessories even ambushed He was first to act.

Extending 2 fingers from his free hand, his other hand occupied holding his sword at the ready, he pulled his fingers forward and out and then up toward his brow. "Hastega," he whispered as time seemed to slow down for Y.R.P. but saying they were in fast time was more accurate. The malformed creature looked like a cross between a Corel and a Balivarha and it still had the opening move. It moved to charge the male of the quad-squad and stop his enhancing maneuvers from turning the tide further. He raised his sword to block only to have the beast rear up onto its hind legs to slash his wrist. He dropped his sword from his wounded sword arm and dived to reclaim it. A shooting pain in his arm sent him careening to the floor.

"Shit! I can't, I can't lift my sword. I need Esuna!" he shouted over the din of combat.

"Don't worry, I'll take care a' ya'." Chimed in Rikku as she accessed her Garment Grid and sphere changed to White Mage her skimpy Thief attire dissolving into a humble white robe.

Paine's countenance shifted to a scowl as she sank into the floor. The ground cracked and a pool of lava bubbled up as Dark Knight Paine emerged from the depths of hell "The shadows will swiftly devour you." She stated flatly as she locked gaze with the beast.

Yuna eyes glazed over with rage as she looked at her injured buoy and the rage boiled over "You'll never know what…" Yuna started before the beast struck again charging Yuna this time slashing a deep gash into her flesh as she was sphere changing from Gunner to Berserker. A red cast came over his skin as the other 3 whispered to themselves.

"It's toast!"

"She's gone…"

"…Berserk."

Yuna dropped down to her hands and feet like a beast as the dress set and she raised her head to the sky letting out a blood curdling howl.

"ARRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOO!"

The trio paused for a moment as a shiver ran up their collective spines; Paine was the first to speak…

"That's not normal."

"You never howled?" questioned the Blitz Ace.

"No…"

…But Yuna was first to act. She charged forward in 'all four' toward the beast leaping over it as she slashes it with her fore paws landing deftly on her paws on the other side of the creature. Rikku finished her prayer unleashing a blast of curative energy at their male ally. "Gullwings repair service!" she quipped as He smiled and deftly griped his sword. Charging the beast his sword clenched in his repaired hands he swung with both power and speed right to the beast's side then back flipped to the main group.

Paine drew her blade up between her eyes and locked her gaze with the reeling beast "There's enough Paine to go around." And then cut forth with a 360 degree arc of the sword sending out a wave of dark energy, she winced from the HP loss, the beast winced more. Quickly Rikku changed again to Samurai garb and the 3 warriors attacked in unison with Yuna, the beast collapsed under the assault dissolving into pyre flies.

The other 3 relaxed a touch as they walked over to Yuna who was still tense and in battle posture. He reached down toward her head to comfort her reflexively like a pet by petting her head when Yuna head jerked up, she sniffed the air and bolted ahead on all fours. He reacted rashly by clamping down his hand on her pony tail before it slipped out of his grip and Yuna yelped, but her head did not jerk back as it should. He looked down at his hand and saw he indeed held the tip of the braid in his grip and as Yuna turned her head to look, and growl at him his grip grew slack and he fell on his rear as Yuna bolted off into a new horde of fiends.

"Something's wrong with Yuna!"

"She's just been berserked, we've all be berserked a few times!" chimed in Rikku.

"No, that fiend did something to her. Her pony tail…"

"Yes?" inquired Paine worried.

"I felt something inside it like a bone, like it was a real…tail. And….And it was connected to her back her head didn't jerk it wasn't bound to her head like it should be."

Paine sighed, "Then come on, let's go find her before we loose her."

"Too late!"

The other 2 looked to Rikku as she pointed into the distance, faintly they could make out Yuna deep into the Fiend infested ruins. He jumped to his feet to run after her but Paine kept him at bay.

"Let me go, Yuna! Yuna!" He glared daggers at Paine, she reciprocated.

"Don't get yourself killed, be careful, Rikku keep him stable."

"Paine? You're not coming?"

"I'm going to see if Shinra can shed any light on what could have happened."

The two were silent for a moment longer before they ran after Yuna; Paine turned around and makes a dash for the Airship teleporter (save) sphere.


	2. i Know Everything

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 2: I know everything.**

Paine materialized inside the transport ring of the Celsius and promptly hopped the right railing making it to Shinra's post in half the normal time. She tapped the boy to break him from his trance like study of the Farplane energy and cast him a steel glare.

"We have a problem."

"I know everything."

Paine balked, paused and then regained her composure "H…how?"

"You're the recorder Paine, think I wouldn't know about your little hidden camera? I saw everything that happened on my live feed."

Again Pain balked "But…but I never told anyone I was recording our adventures."

"Once the Crimson Spheres told me your story it was elementary to figure out old habits die hard. The Crimson Squad is still the Crimson Squad even if their numbers are 6 not 4."

"Six? What are you talking about?"

"Yuna and Rikku survived the Den of Woes did they not? By the rules that makes them Crimson Squad as much as you 4. It may not have ever been an official ceremony but neither was yours was it? Surviving the Den of Woes is enough."

Paine calmly regain her composure pausing another moment. "So you have a plan to fix Yuna?"

"If my guess is right the beast removed the restrains on the Dress Sphere, made the personality of the suit dominant, let it overwrite her own genetic code, like lycanthropy. We need a summoner to 'Send' the infection of Pyre Flies."

"So go call up an Ex-summoner, Dona, Issaru, there's a few of them!"

"Won't work…"

"Why?"

"With the Fayth…gone…they have no power, the Summoner needs to be reinvented, like the mages were."

Paine paused again before realization hit. "You don't mean…"

"The Dress Sphere is almost ready but even with all of Yuna's recorded Summons and Sendings I can't make it 'true' unless their a bound Aeon to the summoner."

"But…so what's you plan for Aeons?"

"2 ways, Find a Fayth on the Farplane to become a Summon, or defeat and draw some of the energy of those Dark Aeon Fiends, your choice."

"We don't have time to hunt Fiends, The Farplane."

"Excellent, I'll ready my Scan Sphere to further study of the Farplane."

Silently Paine ran over toward Buddy before Brother stopped her. "We're not going any where without Yuna!"

Paine growled "She's taken you know, and if we don't go **NOW**, Yuna may become a fiend."

Brother paused in shock "Yuna…Fiend?" Brother dashed over to Buddy at break neck speed "FARPLANE NOW!"

"Whoa! Whoa! I'm on it Brother, I'm on it!"

In no time flat they were at the Farplane, Paine transported down to the flowery plains of the Farplane. Shinra joined her shortly handing over a Dress Sphere. Paine took a moment to reconfigure her Garment Grid as Shinra set up his Scan Sphere.

Paine sighed, "Wonder who I should call on, Someone powerful in case I'll need to fight, but someone Yuna would know to help 'wake her up.' Braska maybe or…" Paine took a sharp breath of air "Of course!"


	3. Summoner Paine

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 3: Summoner Paine**

Rikku held her heart with her left hand, covering the wound in her Dark Knight armor. Her breast burned from the attack from of all people Yuna. No it used to be Yuna, now it was a fiend. Fur crept up out of Yuna's suit, her ears pulling up into points atop her head and her face, her face pulled out into the beginning of a distended muzzle. And that beast now had Him pinned, powerless and at it's mercy.

"Yuna, snap out of it!" he pleaded to the beast to no avail.

"Yunnie, come on Yunnie, Come back to us!"

The beast howled and rose it's fore-paw for the death blow. "Stop this madness Yuna!" spoke a mysterious but familiar voice. The trio paused as a figure descended from the airship as it returned. He towered over 15 feet tall. Clad in red and black, his face a clay mask, but the voice unmistakable, as was his blade. And on his shoulder sat a woman clad in a black robe wielding a familiar style staff.

"Aaron! Do it…"

The ground was churned up in chunks of fine dirt as the sword cleaved through the ground releasing a wave of pure energy that cut harmless through the Blitzball Ace and Slayer of Sin and slammed into Yuna-Fiend sending her flying onto her back. She growled leaping back to her feet as Rikku and the boy rose to their feet. Paine stepped forward toward the team.

"Say hello to my Aeon, Aaron."

"Aeon? But how…the Fayth are…"

"Yes I know, just like magic died with Sin so did the Fayth. Thank Shinra and his Summoner Dressphere."

The boy gasped "You can't be thinking of using an Aeon to slay Yuna?"

"No, Shinra says the only way to save her is to…"

Before Paine could finish her statement Yuna-Fiend attacked again, charging the Aeon, fangs and claws barred. Aaron paused drawing his jug from his hip and hurling it like a grenade, it hit Yuna-Fiend dead on and exploded. Yuna-Fiend again hit the ground hard and her body seized up as it was instantly petrified into stone. Paine smiled warily and Aaron began to fade away.

"Aaron Wait, don't…go…we…have…so…muc…" Rikku began but Aaron was already gone before she was finished, "Poopie!"

Paine stepped forward drawing her staff high as she began a familiar dance around the statue. Rikku and the Hero of Zanarkand watched in mute shock as she began a Sending. The statue began to crack and fissure. As Pyre Flies began to filter their way out. Clinging tenaciously to Yuna's soul the energy orbs slowly broke free dissolving into the atmosphere. The statute continued to fissure and crack flaking away. Yuna stood her body exposed to the elements panting as the last of the Pyreflies left her and she collapsed to the floor panting.

"Let's go…home." Said the Hero of Sin as he wrapped Yuna in his shirt and headed back with the others toward the Transport Sphere.


	4. Fear of Dresses

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 4: Fear of Dresses**

"Yunnie! Awe come on Yunnie!" Rikku pleads fell on deaf ears and Yuna huddled up on her bed in the cabin, knees pulled to her breasts, currently clad in her Gunner Sphere.

"No, I…I can't I can't control the dresses. First the Songstress then the Berserker. How long before one of the others takes me over? At least the Gunner is mine, built for me not built on some other person."

"That wasn't the dresses fault; it was Lenne and a fiend. You could at least use the warrior and thief, that's me and Paine. You afraid of being Rikku 2?"

Yuna looked up smiling for a moment "Can we just forget it."

Ascending the steps was the Hero of Sin, sitting down across from Yuna on a neighboring bed. "Yuna, aren't you at least interested in the Summoner Dress Sphere, it was built on recording of your Pilgrimage. Now I'm no fan of dress spheres but I'd wear a 'dress' if it will help you work though this. Yuna you defeated Yu Yevon/Sin. You brought me back from the Farplane. You defeated Vegnagun, don't let doubt and fear control you. I joined the Gullwings to be there for you, always. There are spheres to hunt, history to unravel. Don't you want to help Shinra see his city of light? The rebirth of Zanarkand?"

Yuna was silent….

"Yuna, don't you want to at least meet Aaron? Learn his story? Why he's returned as an Aeon? I know you Yuna. The idea of the Aeon back fills you heart with hope. Don't you want to see Bahamat again?"

Slowly Yuna smiled and began to uncurl herself; her hand trembled as it reached for His. Slowly she rose and the trio walked slowly toward the deck outside the airship. Paine stood at the edge, the wind whipping her hair as she stared introspectively at the world before her. Lost in thought she did not even notice as Yuna came up behind her.

"What are you thinking about? The Crimson Squad?" asked Yuna her voice cracking in the face of her past reborn.

Paine turned around, it seemed the weight of the world on her shoulders, "Do all summoners feel this weight, like the world is pleading for help and you're too weak to save it?"

Yuna blinked, taking a sharp breath "No…not always, only when it was time for the Final Summoning and when near a place that needs Sending."

"Oh…"

"What's wrong, Paine?"

"When I was in the under city to save you with Aaron, I felt this weight, I never felt it before I became a Summoner."

Yuna nodded understandingly "The city, it's a city of Sin, of Unsent, that explains the fiends. It's a Lost Haunt. A Local infected by the Unsent."

"We have to go back, cleanse it, I feel it in my soul when in this Dress Sphere."

"Your being tainted by my own emotions, maybe you should get out of that dress," warned a cautious Yuna.

"I can't, not unless you are willing to wear it."

"I...can't," Yuna looked away.

"Then neither can I…" Paine's fierce determination was clear as ever, the Summoner Sphere only magnified it.

"Then let's get this over with quickly." Yuna said quickly.


	5. City of Sin

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 5: City of Sin**

There they stood Y.R.P. +1 staring at a city on no map, submerged beneath the great seas of Spira. A mystical dome of light kept it protected from water, and it lands infested in Fiends. They were an eclectic crew of warriors. Yuna the High Summoner who killed Sin for once and all, now a double barreled Gunner. Rikku the Al Bhed Thief and Alchemist turned Dark Knight. Paine the Crimson Squad Warrior turned Summoner. And him; the Hero of Zanarkand, the dream of the Fayth made real, the Warrior of Blitz Ball. Weapons drawn they proceeded into the ruins silently, and the fiends were ready for them. They attack in waves of 5, unrelenting, unforgiving they attacked with a grim determination, and the warriors fought back. Their opening move was always to be hasted by their male ally before the others unleashed their fury. A cloudy blade like one of water, Masamune channeling dark energies, and the bullets of a gunner's arms tore through the fiend reducing them to Pyre flies but no matter how hard they push the fiends had numbers to push back. Despite it all Paine bore her duty with grim determination, her feet throbbed and her arms grew heavy but with every battle she continued to dance her dance of Sending. Yuna kept her eyes away from looking directly at Paine feeling filthy, deep inside she knew Paine was right. Yuna's hands trembled as they cleared the 15th wave, fatigue was beginning to set into the group, most of all Paine whose energies were being drain in the mass Sending. Yuna ran her hand over the garment grid in her side pack her fingers nervous running along the Summoner Node...as well as several others.

"How many of these beasts are there!" grunted Rikku trying to keep from passing out.

"A city's worth, judging by the size of the ruins several hundred." Replied the Aeon Aaron as his blade cleaved a wing of 5 in one stroke releasing a wave of Pyre Flies into the air.

Paine stepped forward again to begin the Sending dance once more, her legs grew weak, her complexion pale and gaunt as this Sending caused sweat to bead her brow.

"One step after another," she grunted to herself to keep her focus. She stumbled and Yuna's breath caught in her throat as Paine faltered, the warriors stopped leaving the fight in Auron's hands as Yuna watched in gap horror and Rikku and the Blitz Ace moved to catch Paine. Yuna looked away turning her glare to the city ruins around them to hide her self loathing "Over there, a house!" pointed Yuna as she indicated a half blown out clay like dome where a bed was visible through the wreckage. The team hurriedly moved Paine toward the domicile as Aaron kept up defense cleaving through fiend hoards to cover them.

"No I have to send them…or they will return." Winced Paine as she saw the Pyre Flies drift away.

The other two held the fatigued and fidgeting Summoner as Yuna provided cover fire, setting the girl down on the bed they struggled with Paine's boots until they managed to pulls the boots free exposing her red throbbing feet.

"You won't be doing any dancing in those things Paine, rest." Ordered the Blitz Master as he turned to Yuna, concern in his eyes, "Cover us; we need to get back to the Airship."

"No!" growled Paine as she pushed the other off her and jumped to her feet before the shooting pain in her soles sent her to the arms of Rikku and the Star Player. She struggled with the vastly stronger, even in a Summoner Dress, Paine, to get her back on the bed.

Yuna closed her eyes taking a sharp breath. "Nooooooooooo!"

In a flash of light Suddenly a Berserker tore through the Fiends beside Aaron. Transformed into a Black Mage to call down a torrent of Thunder on the next wave, and then morphs into a Gun Mage unleashing devastating Fiend attacks back at them with her Blue Bullets before a powerful transition transforms Yuna into the Floral Fatal Special Dress. she unleashed a wave of pure mystical energy as her 3 oval disc spun about.

A torrent Of Pyre Flies flew into the sky coalesced and took form into a new beast, its wings beat with an infernal flame as it began to take on the dark form of a savior of many lives as Dark Phoenix the Aeon Fiend took shape, a ruby sphere lodged in its chest.

It descended to the battle filed like an angry god as a wave of fire raced over the battle field, destroying Fiends as well and decimating the heroes, including Aaron who groaned as he faded away. The Blitz Ace lie defenseless on his back, skin burned black. The Summoner and Thief were equally toasted, Yuna's dress burned away as she collapsed to her knees, Yuna swallowed hard reaching for her garment grid with the last of her strength and a Summoner was reborn, moments before she too blacked out.


	6. BurnedBeatenBruisedBloodiedBeyondHop

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 6: Burned, Beaten, Bruised, Bloodied, and Beyond Hope**

Pain, pain so intense you can not even think, can not breath, every thought a wash of pain unrelenting, a pain that dissolves the body, the mind, the soul. Heat as hot as the very soul of Ifrit unleashed. Rikku was the first to awaken, and the first to scream. The Ruins lie below her engulfed in flame, through a titanic effort she managed to crane her head to the side, she gasped in horror at what she saw, Yuna the Summoner, the man of dreams, and The Summoner Paine lie suspended beside her wreathed in flame. No it was worse, the city was not on fire, they were. They were in the heart of an inferno. The Flames licked at their flesh charring it black so that it may flake away into Pyre Flies, a journey she watched, this was the power of the Dark Aeon Phoenix, a creature not of eternal life but of eternal death.

The Pyre-flies flew upward and Rikku saw where they were headed, the Dark Phoenix slowly consuming them in its belly, feeding itself on their life-force, as they feed on the fiends below. An Uberfiend, an Aeon Fiend. Rikku had only one single hope, her hands were already missing fingers as she reached for her garment grid, and she hoped, prayed that she could win this fight. Even as Armor gave way to Robes her Black Mage dress was already being consumed, in moment she would be burned free of all her Dress spheres, left naked to be consumed. "Chill Out!" she tried to quip but her voice was little more then a gurgle of pyre flies.

She rose the staff as high as she could and the temperature dropped instantly "Blizaraga" She gurgled summoning the most powerful ice spell she had and targeting herself and her allies. A Solid block of Ice pierced the beast and froze them solid.

They dropped like a rock to the ruins below as the ice thawed, Rikku kissed her White Lore Accessory And quickly chanted to cast Full-Cure. As the Party awoke their displaced life force began to drip back to them, looking up they saw the Uberfiend feeding on the Fiends around them and silently Rikku Sphere changed to Summoner, the Blitz Ace drew his blade as solemnly the 3 Summoners began their Sending. The Beast roared diving to thwart them but the Blitz Ace leaps to meet it. Fire and steel clashed in the sky until the beast exploded in a shower of Pyre Flies. But these Flies did not drift to the sky as the Sending continued some headed into the distance of the ruins, other dissolved into the Farplanes while others floated into the 3 Summoner's bodies.

The Blitz Ace watched in horror petrified for a moment as his 3 friends began to change, The Dark Aeons they were being transformed into he knew to well, and had no desire to fight them again. Hands trembling he reached for the pack at his side, he had dreaded this day since he joined the Gullwings…The change began, he shuddered, as his Blitzball Player Uniform melted away as it was replaced by a blue robe similar to Issaru's. He began his own first Sending, his breath caught in his throat as his friends seemed to be unaffected.

Then…

The Pyre Flies grip weakened, relented, and escaped, finally sent for good, Y.R.P. stood there looking at Him with a smirk, and Paine was the first to quip in.

"Nice Dress…Sphere"

"Can we not call them that?" He stated agitated.

"How about a Job System?" chuckled Rikku.

"Uh…I was thinking Skill Spheres…"

"You look….good." Stated a cautious Yuna as she returned to her Gunner, Rikku to Thief and Paine to Warrior. Taking a moment she scanned the area. "I think, we're halfway done."

"We'll rest," stated Paine flatly as she headed for the blown out hovel, "Now!"


	7. Fiendish Experiment

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 7: Fiendish Experiment**

"It would be so easy to end this," A figure watched from a bank of Machina monitors as the four who slept soundly in the the old bunker, "So exhausted from their battle they don't even have one wake eye to guard them."

The figure stroked his chin, as he paced, "But they have a power unlike the other nations, each one able to take on the training of diverse schools, and alone they have breached one of my strongest Aeons and half the monsters who infest the land."

There was a pounding on the door behind him, the sound of claws scraping against steel. The man turned quickly, "I can't let theses...fiends...breach the control center, I must survive."

His hands moved swiftly over the controls, and beyond the barrier the sound of gunfire and explosions were matched with the sounds of screeching Fiends.

"The Machina won't hold forever, I must make my my move, destroy these enemy agents, or turn them to my side." He moved quickly to a bank of consoles as liquid filled tubes began to bubble, "I must act quickly!"

"Wake up!" Rikku was in a panic as she shook the Star of the Zanarkand Abes and Paine from their rest. "Yunnie's gone!"

Paine was on her feet first, blade drawn as the warrioress scanned the horizon, "What do you mean gone?" he said skeptically.

The master of the Jecht Shot looked around quickly as well, "Where do she go?"

"I don't know," Rikku said peeking her head out of the hole in the wall, "No fiends around."

The Blitz Ace, shoved Rikku angrily, "Why weren't you keeping watch!"

Paine growled and narrowed her eyes, "Why weren't you!" she accused.

"Paine! Yuna! Stop fighting," she said on reflex, quickly covering her mouth as the Blitzball Ace leveled a odd look at her.

Rikku flustered a moment then coughed, "S-Sorry."

Pain was out of the hole, already moving, looking about, "Where could she have gone? What direction?"

The Slayer of Sin emerged next, twisting his head as he head the cries of fiends in the distance, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions. "Y-Yuna!"

Rikku and Paine said nothing, following after, On reflex he cast Hastega, granting the group a boost in speed. But was caught quite unready as he saw Paine take on the form of the Berserker, dropping to four limbs to sprint ahead, "Is that a good id..." he began just as Rikku did the same slipping under him like a mount.

"Hold on tight," Rikku warned as she moved to match Paine pace.

"Rikku? What..." He shouted but could not get much more in before he was forced to grab her furred shoulders and hang on for dear life.

A trio of flying fiends dropped down in front of them, Paine shifted into a white uniform, a semi clear visor forming on front of her eyes as she blasted the trio with a burst of psionic energy from her hands, momentarily confusing the trio of fiends before she returned to berserker, to make up for lost time, coming up on Rikku and her rider's rear, but they skid to a halt as a black clad iron giant formed in front of them, the trio of fliers appearing in their rear. They were trapped in a pincer. The Blitz Ace groaned, launching himself at the giant, but his blade did little damage, "I hate these kinds." But as he turned back to look at the others for support he found himself on the receiving end of Rikku's claws, while Paine stood gray as slate and still as stone.

"Grrrreat," he sighed, "Rikku's confused and Ms. Personality's petrified."


	8. Mandatory Exposition

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 8: Mandatory Exposition**

"Who are you, why are you doing this!" Yuna found herself secured to some strange table, attached to even stranger Machina, "What do you want with me?"

The man moved over to her, clasping a strange ring around her neck, "You my dear? Nothing. Your just another enemy agent here to destroy what is left of my home. But I won't let your kind or the monsters win, I'll purify the land and bring glory once more to Libera. You are merely a means to the end."

Beyond the blast doors Machina and Fiend fraught, Yuna's eyes went wide, "You have to let me go, the Fiends!"

"Are precisely why you are here, now we can do this the easy way or the hard way, I will get the secrets of your transformation system one way or another."

The Machina behind Yuna began to hum as it came to life, "M...My Garment Grid?"

The man huffed, "Garment Grid? You have a weapon more powerful then the S-I-N Engine and you call it a Garment Grid? Who would ever entrust such a weapon to such immature girls to disgrace such a..."

Yuna was quick to cut him off, struggling fruitlessly to pull her arms free of the shackles, "Job System?"

The man stopped, looking to Yuna curiously, "Now that is a name for a proper weapon systems such as yours."

Pyreflies began to hover around Yuna's head, she swallowed hard as she saw them gathering, "W-What are you doing! A Fiend..."

"...Is only one such use for these amazing creatures," he interrupted, "Now tell me more about this Job system."

A heavy crash against the door forced Yuna's hand, it would not hold much longer, but maybe if she cooperated they would both survive this. "It's in my pouch, you just activate the nodes and..."

The man acted quickly, removing the device from Yuna's hip pouch, looking down at it curiously, "These are Memory Spheres."

"Similar, yes," Yuna said quickly, "Each Dresssphere."

The man cast a cutting glance at her, "Excuse me?"

"S-Skill Sphere," she corrected. "Is created from the memory of a previous figure from history. Shinra..."

"Who?"

"He created the system, if you release me I can get us both out of here and show you how it works."

The door began to buckle, bulging inward as claws scrapped at the exposed edges.

"We need to get out of here!" Yuna urged.

"Nonsense, this command center must be defended at all costs, if it falls all the Machina in Libera fall, and the Machina are the only think keeping those beasts at bay as much as they are. You think it's bad now, if we loose the Machina it will be ten, no a hundred times worse. Where do you think most of the pyre-flies go since all our Summoners were killed."

Yuna gasped.

"Now tell me how this Job System works."

"Just touch the target node you want," Yuna said quickly without thinking.

"Like this," The man said reaching for one of them nodes.

"No! Don't! Stop!" Yuna pleaded as a light enveloped the man, but as it faded Yuna only saw...herself. As a thief.

Thief-Yuna looked curiously down at herself then to the still bound Gunner-Yuna, "What is the meaning of this?"

Gunner-Yuna sighed, "While Dress..." again her other half cast a dagger glance, "SKILL spheres can be shared among your party their growth and development is tied to the personal Garment...JOB Grid of it's owner."

"So in other words," Theif-Yuna said with a smirk, "I have all of your strength and skill instead of having to earn it myself. This could be useful." she said moving to a rear door, "I'll be back shortly."

"You can't just leave me here!" Gunner-Yuna protested, "The Fiends..."

"Are Exactly what I'm going to take care of right now." Theif-Yuna cut off her counterpart as she slipped away.

The entry way bulged again as a leather arm reached in, trying vainly to claw at something on the other side, Gunner-Yuna swallowed hard as the Pyreflies continued to gather overhead.


	9. Sheep's Clothing

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 9: Sheep's Clothing**

"Your not bad for a Dress Sphere novice," Paine deadpanned as the trio cut through the line of iguana like fiends. "You being using a garment grid is secret?"

Rikku chuckled as she shifted to Berserker to give him a lift, Paine following suite, "Or did the Fayth remake you as a Garment Grid Ace?"

Yuna's Love chuckled as he Hasted the girls, "Well to be honest I found that my magic wasn't working all that well in this Eternal Calm world so I had Shinra make me my own Sphere, I've pretty much just being using that exclusively, so It's pretty close to maxed out as you girls are."

"Yunnie's going to be so mad you kept that little secret from her." Rikku chuckled.

"Watch out!" Paine's suddenly dive knocked them all from a roll, just in time for the trio to avoid a burst of gunfire and some missiles impacts. Paine recovered first, Sphere-changing to Gunner to unload several clips into the sudden Machina attack.

Rikku gapsed, "My Machina Maw!"

It was true the Machina that had ambushed them bore a striking resemblance to Rikku's own special Dress Sphere, which in turn bore a resemblance to a sub group of fiends.

"Watch out!" Paine shouted, Sphere-Changing into Warrior just in time to slice a incoming missile in half.

"Rikku Thief, I'll hit it with Thunder." The Blitz Ace said as his form shifted to a blue robe and steapled straw hat that covered his face in shadows, his eyes glowing yellow. "You don't need a mastered Black Mage to hit a machine with lightning."

As the thunder cracked and struck down Rikku shrieked, her legs quaking.

Paine scoffed, "Still scared of a little thunder?" Paine Sphere-changing into her own Black Mage "But hitting something this powerful works so much better with bigger lighting!"

Rikku shrieked again as a much more powerful Thundera hit the Machina, a moment later Rikku was in her Thief dress, charging the Machina, a moment later it collapsed to the ground.

"What the hell did you do?" the voice was familiar.

"Yuna!" the trio shouted out as Dark Knight Yuna came in from behind the Machina, Sphere-changing to thief she began to muck around with the downed Machina, "I just got that one back up and running!"

"Yuna?" The Blitzball Ace said curiously.

"What are you doing, fixing Machina that are trying to kill us!" Paine objected.

Rikku said nothing narrowing her eyes, before she suddenly lunged, her and Yuna tumbling end over end for a few moments, "Le Blanc!"

"Are you insane!" Yuna Sphere-changing to Berserker to quickly kick Rikku off her, the other two helping Rikku up gave her a odd look.

"Did a fiend get her with confuse?" Paine wondered.

"Her eyes!" Rikku protested, "Le Blanc stole Yunnie garment grid again!"

The Blitzball Ace approached Yuna cautiously as she Sphere-changed back to Thief and headed back to the Machina.

"Get away from me you oaf," Yuna said pushing him away.

He grabbed her wrist with one hand then her chin looking into her brown eyes.

"Wait, Yuna Doesn't have brown eyes."

Paine, now in Thief as well slipped up next to Yuna and snatched her Garment Grid, deactivating it, the unknown man appearing suddenly. "Not Le Blanc." she said bluntly.

Startled The Hero of Zanarkand released his hold on the stranger. He in turn took a moment to dust himself off, "Are we quite done here, I need to get my Machina back up and running before."

Paine glowed, holding the Garment Grid out of arm's reach, "Before what?"

"That." The stranger said wit ha resigned sigh.

The group turned on their heels quickly, all four of them, to see something that should not be.

"Sin." the Dream of the Fayth whispered as the massive beast loomed over them.


	10. Shadow of Sin

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 10: Shadow of Sin**

"Very astute but no," the mystery man said, "This is not the S-I-N Engine but..." Slapping his forehead he quickly grabbed the Garment Grid from the stunned Paine and sphere-changed to Yuna-Gunner just as the Sinspawn launched several of the smaller fin like minions, diving to the side as she unleashed a full clip into the enemy fiends, "Keep those things busy and maybe I can get the Machina up and running again before we die."

"But Yunnie's Garment Gri..." Rikku protested as the Blitzball Ace pulled her out of the way of a attack.

"Fight now, answers later," Paine said curtly cutting a savage glare at 'Yuna,' "And there will be answers." Before charging some of the sinspawn for a quick double slash from her daggers, using her Sword Lord accessory to execute a Armor Break as part of her attack.

The Dream of Zanarkand gave a quick sigh as he Hasted 'Yuna' "If that thing means answers then a little Haste should get it up and running sooner."

Rikku got her bearings a moment, growling as she glared over at 'Yuna' then used their advantage of Hastega and her White Lore accessory to cast protect on the group, halving the imminent physical damage. Just in time as the lesser Sinspawn and the larger boss made their moves. The punishing physical blows caused the group to stagger, with the Slayer of Sin first to recover as he quickly charged the monsters intent to slow them with a Delay Attack to give them a even greater advantage.

"Sorry, maybe next time!" he quipped as the delays hits the Sinspawns one by one.

Sphere-changing back to Berserker Paine growled before charging, "If you're gonna bring it, bring it!" claws dispatching several at once, "Bye." she said coldly.

"You done yet?" Rikku said impatiently looking back at 'Yuna' as she sphere-changed into Dark Knight and unleaded a wave of enemy fuled for her own life force at the sinspawn.

"Down you go!"

Dispatching several.

The Blitzball Ace smirked as he prepared a spell, "Chill, there's no rush!" Further crippling the sinspawn with Slowaga.

"I'm working as fast as I can!" 'Yuna' protested, then gave a triumphant cheer, "There! Undid your handy work!"

"That does not fill me with warm fuzzies," Paine groaned as the Machina came to life.

Rikku froze a moment, as she saw it loom over her, "N-No hard feelings right?"

"Helm-P22 disregard humanoid targets, Priority-One S-I-N Shadowspawn." 'Yuna' said quickly.

"Order received," it said in a mechanical male voice just in time to be hit by a Haste from The Blitzball Ace, as it opened fire with it's missile complement on the Sinspawn.

"This better be quick!" he quipped, "You still have questions to answer 'Yuna.'"

"Let's survive this first," She countered as she sphere-changed to Berserker and slashed deep at the main Sinspawn. The other girls tag teamed it for a combo attack as The Dream of Zanarkand and Helm-P22 followed in on their heels. The Sinspawn flashed and dissolved into Pyre flies, 'Yuna' quickly moving out of the reach of the others and behind Helm-P22.

"Helm-P22 standby, but do not attack!"

"Order received," it droned as it target locked the trio. "Standing by."

"Give us back Yunnie's Garment Grid!" Rikku demanded.

"Where did you get it anyway?" the Ace questioned conspiratorially.

"And how is Sin still alive," Paine inquired.

"We better keep moving," 'Yuna' said as she turned away from them, "Helm-P22 guard our flanks...and shot them if they try to attack me." Glancing back at the others she said bored, "Comming?"

Reverting to Thief for 'Yuna' and Rikku while Paine took Warrior, and the Ace his own sphere they followed the stranger cautiously.

"In no particular order of importance: I presume you know about Oversouled monster, well with all our Summoners gone and the Fayth not answering my own calls we were quickly over run, those 'Sinspawn' Are the Oversouled and overcharged results of no one to Send the beasts. My Machina have been holding out as best they could but well."

"Their loosing." Paine said bluntly.

'Yuna' nodded solemnly.

"Where is Yunnie!" Rikku demanded, stomping her foot.

The figure stopped a moment, looking down at her blouse and tugging the fabric slightly, his voice hollow, "Was that the name of this girl?"

A chill ran down the Blitzball Ace and Rikku's spines, the former spoke first, "What are you getting ate."

There was a long pause, "I'm afraid...she didn't make it."

Paine gave a short gasp then glowered, "Not possible, Yuna doesn't die easy."

"I found her body all alone, savaged by the fiends, I can not say what happened only the end result. By chance as I was...hiding the body, to prevent attracting fiends to her corpse mind you...I found her," he winced in disgust, "'Garment Grid' and was quite surprised to discover what it could do. It is the one thing that has given me the power I needed to get to the Machina to repair them."

"Impossible! I want to see the body!" The Ace demanded. "I want proof."

"Of course, I will take you to where she I buried, I'm sure I could be mistaken, after all if her Grid can turn me into a copy it is possible the one I found was not the genuine article and is is merely lost out here without her own. But we have more pressing concerns first."

"The Machina?" Rikku said questioningly.

'Yuna' nodded, "They are the only defense I have. And if this 'Yuna' is out here she stands a better chance of survival with the Machina active."

The Ace was about to object but Paine rose her hand to silence him, "She has a point. And Rikku, your good with Machina, you can speed up the process."

Rikku sighed, "Gullwings repair service," giving a halfheartedly, "at your service."


	11. Crimson Eyes

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 11: Crimson Eyes**

"Sorry we had to win." Paine smirked.

"You like that!" The Blitzball Ace cheered.

The fiend collapsed as The Blitzball Ace delivered his final blow, flanking him were Helm-P22 and Paine. Behind them were Rikku and 'Yuna' working on a Machina console outside a building, they were all hasted.

"Got it!" Rikku cheered as the door hissed and opened.

"Hurry everyone, Helm-P22 will watch the gate, let's see how bad it is inside." 'Yuna' urged.

Paine paused, looking to the Blitzball Ace, her voice low, "Can you handle things here."

He tilted his head curiously and looked at her, "Paine?"

"I need to return to the Celsius, speak to Shinra, see if I can get a garment Grid for our new friend here so we can at least get back Yunas, among other things."

He nodded, "Y-Yeah I can carry your slack."

Paine nodded, walking away, "Rikku I'll be right back, he'll cover for me." she said wit ha casual glace back at the Blitzball Ace.

Rikku paused, hesitantly, "P-Paine...your not going to search for Yunnie alone are you...I don't..."

Paine cut her off quickly, "No the Celsius."

"Good," 'Yuna' said quickly, "You wouldn't last long solo."

Pain said nothing and just walked away. The transport sphere wasn't far away and soon she found herself on the bridge, approaching the Al-Bhed boy Shinra. "I presume you know why I am here?"

"I know everything," he quipped, "Yuna is no where on my sensors..." he paused looking around, then took a relive breath, "Brother on the other hand is becoming hard to handle."

Paine rose a eyebrow, "He heard what the imposter said?"

"More or less," Shinra confirmed, "We've had to keep him distracted so he doesn't run off on his own looking for her."

Paine nodded, "...and getting himself killed." finishing the thought.

Shinra nodded, "I have a new Garment Grid user being programed now, should be ready soon, I should be able to lock onto Yuna, if she is still alive, with the imprint from her own Grid. Is there something else?"

Paine nodded, "Wait here."

Shinra watched her walk away confused. A few minutes later she returned with a memory sphere, handing it to Shinra, "Can you make a Dresssphere from this?"

Taking it he plugged it into his console, a figure clad all in black appeared on his screen, "Who is this?"

"Shadow." She said without further elaboration.

"How did you?" Shinra began to ask.

"Not important," Paine glowered, "can you make a dress sphere of him?"

Shinra watched the video for a couple moments then nodded, "Yes."

"Do it." Paine said stepping away pulling out her garment grid to adjust it.

It did not take long for Shinra to return to her holding the new dresssphere, "What will you call it?"

Paine thought a moment, "Ninja."

Shinra looked at Paine's garment grid a moment, "Your going to use Wish Bringer now?"

She shook her head, "I need too many dressspheres, Wish Bringer is my backup. I'll be using it and The End alternatively."

"Make sure you tell the others so they don't make adjustments to it for their own uses."

Paine nodded they paused a moment, "Why is it that we each have personalized Garment Grids but the Dresssphere placement is shared."

Shinra shrugged, "Don't ask me, I'm just a kid."

Paine groaned. "I hate when you say that."

Paine returned the the surface, sighing as she looked around then glared up at the sky, "Shinra you dropped me off back at the first teleport sphere!"

His voice came through her radio almost instantly, "I can teleport you up from any sphere but something about the area disrupts the signal down."

Paine sighed, sphere-changing to Berserker and putting her new accessory to work in hasting herself before she hurried off, "Just perfect."

Inside the compound Rikku looked nervously around, "It's getting late, where's Paine?"

"I'll..." The Blitzball Ace started to say, before 'Yuna' cut him off.

"I'll go look for her, I know this city like the back of my hand after all."

Grudgingly they both nodded, Rikku piping in quickly, "Then you can give back Yunnie's Garment Grid!"

'Yuna' scoff-laughed "Not likely, the only reason I've been able to leave my own bunker was because this grid gave me the power I needed even since the Fayth stopped taking to me."

As she was about to leave, shifting into thief in the process the Blitzball Ace stopped her, "Are you a Summoner?"

'Yuna' stopped, looking reflective a moment, "Up until a little over 2 years ago, when the Fayth just went silent."

Rikku froze, as he mind began to make connections, "T-that's when we defeated Sin for good."

The Blitzball Ace nodded as 'Yuna's' eyes grew wide, "Sin is gone?"

He nodded, "It's the Eternal Calm, and with it the Fayth got to sleep."

'Yuna's' eyes narrowed, and suddenly her hand came hard across The Slayer of Sin's face, "Then it's your fault that the fiends over run my home. Your fault they killed what few of us survived! Your fault that my companions are now fiends! You stole the Fayth from us! You doomed us all to die!"

The Ace stepped back in shock as Rikku put herself between them, "Now wait just a moment! Sin is gone! We didn't choose for the Fayth to retire, they did. You couldn't have been a very good Summoner if they abandoned you!" reaching for 'Yuna's' bag just as she slipped away, "And give me back Yunnie's Garment Grid!"

"Rikku!" The Ace stepped between them, holding her back, then he turned to 'Yuna,' his eyes full of regret, "We are sorry for what happened, I'm sure the Fayth had a reason. But we can't just throw around blame. But we can fix things. For one thing, we recreated the Summoner as a Dresssphere."

'Yuna' spoke with a venomous tang, "I noticed, but it has no Aeons, I'm better off as myself! At least I can summon Dark Aeons to defend the city!"

"That was you?" Rikku said aghast, "Dark Phoenix tried to kill us all!"

"We went over this," 'Yuna' glowered, "I thought you were a enemy faction. None of the Machina have attached you recently have they?" Glancing toward the exit to emphasizing her point, "In fact isn't one of them guarding the exit as we argue?"

"'Yuna' Go" the Ace said pushing her into the hallway, "and find Paine."

She huffed, crossing her arms as she stormed off, "Fine, but only because I need you all alive to fix everything you destroyed!"

The Slayer of Sin turned to Rikku, holding her shoulders firmly, "Rikku relax, you can't blame her for lashing out. Imagine if your own home was infested with fiends, and everyone you loved died before your eyes." He paused himself looking reflective, "It may have only been a Dream of the Fayth but to me Zanarkand was real."

Rikku looked up into his eyes, seeing them tremble and felt all her anger wash away, her arms shaking as they wrapped around his. "I know...but...Yunnie."

"Is still alive," a fierce determination in his eyes, "S-She has to be...the F-Fayth brought me back for her..."

Rikku wrapped her arms around him fiercely, tears in her eyes, "N-Not just for her."


	12. Pyreflies

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 12: Pyreflies**

The door hissed as it opened Thief-Yuna entered the command room, glancing over she saw a odd creature strapped to the table Pyreflies swarming over her head. Moving closer the creature was roughly humanoid in shape, female, with a muzzle that looked line the barrel of a gun, a pair of cannons formed each of her hands.

"Looks like the infusion went perfectly Lady Yuna. You have become the Gunner." Reaching into her pouch Thief-Yuna drew the White Signet Garment Grid.

Gunner-Yuna tried to speak but it only came out as mechanical clicks, Thief-Yuna ran her hand through the fiend's hair, "I'm not making any sense am I, you just want to hunt." reaching over she pressed a button on the collar, parts of it lighting up as Gun Fiend Yuna relaxed.

Releasing the clasps Gun Fiend Yuna drop to her knees, Thief-Yuna moving to the console, the Pyreflies dissipating after a moment. "Come here." She said casually, Gun Fiend Yuna obeying, bowing her head as she reached Thief-Yuna who set the Garment Grid in a spot just about Gun Fiend Yuna's breasts.

"After I met your companions I was starting to regret this, I was even considering reuniting you, but now that I have learned it was your people fault the Fayth left us here to die, stole the Aeons from us, doomed us all, well...consider this Karmic Payback."

Thief-Yuna tapped one of the nodes on the grid, and stood back watching as Gun Fiend Yuna changed shape taking on large claws, fur and a tail, to become Berserk Fiend Yuna. "Don't get me wrong. I do thank you for the Eternal Calm, which is why I am going to let your friends live, and why I am going to use this power of yours to restore my home. Don't worry They will get their Yuna back eventually...or more accurately Yuna 2.0." Tapping the Garment Grid again Berserk Fiend Yuna changed back to Gun Fiend Yuna. And the main screens came to life with a series of diagrams and readouts.

"You see while your friends have been helping me get the Machina up and running they have also helped me get my factories back up and I have use those factories to replicate your 'Garment Grid'. Now we each have one. And while I am unsure just how many of your forms will be useful soon I'll have far more control over the Skill Spheres allotment as well as the effects of the Grid itself. And in time, I will use thos system of yours to restore, some portion, of my own comrades."

Tapping some buttons on her console the back exit opened, and with a wave of her hand Thief-Yuna dispatched Gunner Fiend Yuna, "Now go, hunt to your hearts content, destroy the Fiends my dear sister."

Gun Fiend Yuna let off a series of noises and then quickly ran off. Thief-Yuna continuing her work as the other one vanished through the emergency exit. After several moments passed static came over the speakers followed by the broken voice of Shinra.

"'ow 'et 'ency."

"Please hold on, I'm getting interference, still trying to isolate." Thief-Yuna spoke calmly.

"'una, 'at you?"

"Almost there," she said adjusting settings. "One more time."

"Y-Yuna is that you?" Shinra's voice came in loud and clear.

"Not the one you want I'm afraid. You are with the Gullwings I take it? That airship?"

"Yes, who is this."

"A friend, I found your High Summoner's Garment Grid," she paused a moment, voice cracking, "But I am afraid the body was not living. Still I am told it is possible that the the real Yuna may still be out there given how the Garment Grid has effected me."

"That is a distinct possibility." Shinra confirmed, "How did are you contacting me?" a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"My boy I have live here all my life, I just needed to single out the new transmission band now that your allies have gotten some of my more important systems online. What I need to know is two fold. One The girl Paine is missing, is she still with you?"

"No. The transport sphere could not deliver her to your location she had to start at the entrance."

A smile crept over Thief-Yuna lips, "That's terrible! I'll head out as soon as possible to go find her." then she paused a hit of confusion in her voice, "That is once I know where this Transport Sphere is."

"I can give you coordinates."

Thief-Yuna smirked, "Excellent, let's pray that she is well. However I have a more pressing concern."

Shinra remained skeptical, "Yes?"

"I need to know everything there is to know about these Garment Grids, Technical Specifications, how they work. Not just for my own benefit mind you but because I may be able to use that information to create a program to track users. It would help narrow down Lady Paine as well as where the true Yuna is...in theory at least."

There was a pause on the other end, long and tense, finally Shinra spoke, "I will begin transmitting."

"Excellent, And in the meantime I will see if I can at least narrow down humanoid targets and upload the data to your radar system. I understand your comrades have a portable radar but it has some limitations."

"Yes." Shinra said simply. "The range is not far and it can specifies Fiend or companion, the latter of which can been lost thanks to the signal interference this city is generating."

"That I must apologize for. When I thought I was alone one of the systems I set up was a sort of broad back Pyrefly collector, without any Summoners I had to do whatever I could to prevent the Fiends from just recycling."

"The Gullwings have a Summoner Sphere, if we can find Paine and Yuna you will have 4 summoners, in fact one of the main reasons they were down there was to Send the place clean."

Thief-Yuna froze, a hit of true concern braking through her facade, "T-They were? I-I thought they just wanted to loot our treasures."

Shinra's voice was calm and collected, "The main mission of the Gullwings is to find History Spheres, to discover Spira's past. And since coming to your city to cleanse the Unsent denied final rest."

"O-Oh," Thief-Yuna said glances toward the exit, a sad glint in her eye. "T-Thank you."

"Thank the Gullwings, Especially Paine, it was her idea, my concerns are mostly academic."

Thief-Yuna nodded, a beep from the console breaking out of her reflections, "O-Oh the first packet on the Garment Grid System has arrived...t-tell me which of the girls do I have to think for the system's creation?"

"That would be me. Had I know that men would show interest in the system though I would have chosen a different name."

"You mean...the boy?" Thief-Yuna said curiously.

"As well as Brother, up here on the ship. Though he is far from ready to take it into the field."

Theif-Yuna nodded, her voice drifting as she looked again to the door then back to the monitor as the information came up, "I-I'm sorry but I will need to focus on the information sent. Keeping the Com-lines open as I send you radar data, please limit further conversation."

"Of course."


	13. Paineful Past

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 13: Paineful Past**

"Hmph, shocking!" Black Mage Paine scoffed as she turned her back to the Fields as they dissolved into Pyreflies.

"Your a hard girl to find."

"Yuna?" Paine turned quickly, unusually life in her eyes as she saw Thief-Yuna standing there, but her demeanor quickly soured as she narrowed her eyes and saw this Yuna had brown eyes. "No...just you."

'Yuna' approached her looking Paine over who was casually switching her active Garment Grid and dresssphere to Psychic, "Come with me, the others are this way."

Paine scoffed but followed after.

"Your looking surprisingly good for all the punishment you must have had to endure alone."

Paine crossed her arms, "Wish Bringer does that."

'Yuna' paused a moment in thought, then turned back with a smile, "Oh right, so you swapped Garment Grids from The End?"

Paine stepped back, "How did you?"

"I spoke with Shinra, he gave me all the details on your Garment Grid System. In exchange I helped him upgrade the Celsius sensors to track you, and Yuna, down."

Paine gasped, "Y-You found Yuna?"

"Weeeeeeeeell...Not quite, the Celsius sensors can zero in on humanoid targets, but they still can't distinguish Fiend from friend."

Paine rose a brow, "That is...impressive. Is that how you found me, homed in on the Humanoids?"

'Yuna' nodded, "Unfortunately some of my Machina are also humanoid, which gives a few more false positives, and some of my...former..." the last word were bitter tasting in her mouth causing her to glower before all life drained from her lips for the next word, "companions had trai..."

Paine looked curiously to 'Yuna,' "You're not here alone?"

"I am alone, now," her voice low and sad before moving into a more dangerous accusatory tone, "Thanks to your friends."

Paine reached out to 'Yuna' turning her to face her, "What do you mean?"

'Yuna' closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "I am...was...a Summoner. Until the Fayth deserted us to die here." A few tears began to fall as she looked around, ghosts of the past walking past her reliving old memories, her voice taking a cold edge, "Because Yuna defeated Sin for good, and the Fayth slumbered."

"And then the Fiends killed everyone, only you survived," Paine's voice was haunted, memories of the Crimson Squad flooding back.

'Yuna' nodded silently, "I was lucky, between my Machina expertise and White Magic I was able to survive being stripped of my Aeons. By the others..."

"Your Guardians?"

"My friends," She bit back before her voice grew haunted again, "We...I...never completed the Pilgramage. Instead we decided to try and protect our home, and guild the dead to the Farplane rather then fight in the war."

Paine nodded understandingly.

'Yuna' clenched her fists, "And we were doing well enough, the city had fallen but we still lived, the Machina Lived, our companion beasts lived, and we had the Fayth, Aeons to help us."

Paine saw a Helm field charging their position and quickly pulled them into a blow out building, her hand on 'Yuna's' mouth to quiet her. A minute or so passed before Paine removed her hand and looked into the eyes of 'Yuna.'

"Continue, please." Her voice low.

'Yuna' took a moment and nodded, keeping her own voice low, "Then the Aeons just...stopped responding. It was not the end right away but it marked the beginning of it. Next to fail was our magics. I was reduced to my Machina expertise and the Sending as my only skills. My second companion had it worse, he was a Time Mage, he could not fight but he could use magic to speed us up like your friend, and to slow down or outright stop our opponents." Tears were flowing freely now, her voice cracking. "He was left with nothing. A-And was the first to..."

Paine clenched 'Yuna's's shoulder and nodded, "I-I'm sorry."

'Yuna' sighed looking up to the sky though the hole in the roof, a short laugh broke her mood, "It's funny. Yuna was a Summoner who now favors the Gunner Profession, while Tobius was a Time Mage who turned to archery when his magics failed him."

Paine let a small smirk cross her own lips, "And what happened to your other companions?"

"There was only one other, he was trained as a Dragoon, but Dragons are fiends when you get right down to it, in this place, with me to buys keeping the Machina running and trying to keep us alive to send eventually the Pyreflies corrupted it...he became food for his own loyal steed."

Paine gasped silently glancing down at her Garment Grid a moment as she imagined her own raptor turning on her without warning, and shivered.

"You can imagine it can't you," 'Yuna' said haunted, "I know about the Trainer Sphere."

Paine nodded, "More then that, I have seen...my own allies turn on one another...on me."

This made 'Yuna's' eyes grow wide, "You...have?"

Paine nodded, "Ever hear of the Crimson Squad?"


	14. Machina

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 14: Machina**

The hum of the Machina was the only thing to break the silence as the Blitzball Ace looked down the hall to the world outside, the world guarded by Helm-P22, in the distance he heard gunfire and the sounds of magic and steel clashing, looked down at his ComSphere then back to the room where Rikku had vanished into a crawlspace and still had not returned.

"Rikku," his voice soft, "You coming out?"

"Just leave me alone." she said coldly.

Standing there he watched the crawl space, them made his way over, taking a seat on the floor by it's opening, "I think...I'm going to go look for the others...it's been too long."

"No!" Rikku's voice was frantic, scrambling out of the crawlspace with a panicked look as she wrapped her arms around him tightly, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry OK. Please don't go! I didn't mean it!"

As he pushed away Rikku eyes were red, puffy, and her face full of tears, she pulled him back into her embrace shivering. "Rikku? It wasn't that big a deal. What's gotten into you? I'm not still angry over that. What is it?"

"D-Don't go, p-please." she pleaded, holding him tighter.

Cautiously he wrapped one arm around her waist and ran another through her hair.

"I don't want to be alone."

"Alone?" he whispered, trying to calm the frazzled girls nerves.

"First Yunnie, then Paine, then even that fake Yunnie, I-I don't want to be alone in this place."

He nodded, understanding, "It's OK, your not alone. W-We can go together."

Rikku looked up panicked, "But what if they come back her..."

The beep of the ComSphere suddenly broke her focus, like a man dying of thirst in the desert Rikku jumped at the device, practically shouting, "Brother? Buddy? Shinra? Oh thank Yevon!"

"It's me." Shinra responded.

The Blitzball Ace stepped back as Rikku cradled the ComSphere protectively, "What is it Shinra?" he spoke aloud.

"I have news, some of it good." he said cryptically.

Rikku's eyes lite up, "You found Yunnie?"

There was a long pause, before Shinra spoke, "Maybe."

The Blitzball Ace nearly toppled over as Rikku leaps up nearly tossing the ComSphere in her excitement, "Where is Yunnie?"

"I don't know...exactly." Rikku's hear sank, The Blitzball Ace grabbing the ComSphere suddenly, "Well don't keep us in suspense!"

"I spoke with the other Yuna, we shared information on the Garment Grid and on the radar systems..."

"You gave the face Yunnie info on our Garment Grid, Shinra!" Rikku chided angrily.

"Quiet!" Buddy's voice cut over the com, "Listen to Shinra."

Rikku tensed and grew silent as the Blitzball Ace smiled, "We're listening."

"We now have the means to track all humanoid targets in the area, they are displayed a orange arrows on the radar." Buddy explained.

"It can even show markers at the edge of the map for the direction of those out of displaying range." Shinra elaborated, "But we will need you to return to the Celsius to update your personal ones. If Lady Yuna is out there she is one of the markers, so so are Machina and Fiends, they all look the say on radar. Still we have some leads."

"And 'Yuna' helped you with this?" the Blitzball Ace tried to confirm.

"Yes." Shinra said simply.

Rikku pupped away looking at the crawlspace a moment, her voice low, "M-Maybe he isn't so bad."

"What about Paine," The Blitzball Ace asked, "And 'Yuna' why aren't they back yet?"

"Interference prevents me from beaming down to the closest transport sphere, I can beam up fine but Paine had to enter at the entrance sphere, 'Yuna' went to find her using the radar upgrade as she was out of range and lost the friendly marker. To be honest your markers went dim as well but I haven't needed to keep track of you two to work the ComSphere so it didn't matter."

"Get on with it!" Rikku said impatiently.

Shinra paused again, "Anyway once 'Yuna' finds Paine using her generic humanoid radar signal they would have to make it back to your position. Right now they are resting in one of the abandoned houses. Paine thought you would like to know, and advised that you move to the next repair location then find a transport sphere. You can all meet up here on the Celsius where I can upgrade your radars, then transport down together in the morning to continue the search."

"So where just leaving Yuna alone down here all night?" The Blitzball Ace said incredulously. "Not happening."

Rikku beamed, wrapping her arms around him, "Yeah we're not going to start from scratch!"

"Paine thought you would say that, but without the radar upgrade the only person who knows where all the humanoids are is me and 'Yuna.'"

The Blitzball Ace sighed, "He's right."

Rikku slouched forward, "Not fair!"

"There is one more thing," Shinra added, "Paine is using 2 of the Garment Grids now, Wish Bringer and The End. Keep that in mind so you don't mess up her Dresssphere assignments."

"Got it," The Blitzball Ace nodded, "Anything else."

"That is it." Shinra finished, "Keep in touch."

And with that the ComSphere went silent, the Blitzball Ace putting away he never saw Rikku change jobs and as Berserker make a dash for the exit.

"R-Rikku? What are you doing!"

"I'm going to find Yunnie, even if I have to sniff her out!"

Thanks to his automatic-haste the Blitzball Ace was still faster, cutting her off, "I want to find Yunnie too but we can't keep splitting up, we need to meet up with the others."

Rikku snarled, knocking the Ace along the ground, "Don't get in my way!" before she charged off.

As he got to his feet he sighed, "She beserked herself." scratching the back of his head but by the time he had made it down the hall Rikku was long gone.

Sighing again he took out the ComSphere, slapping his forehead a moment, "And I have her ComSphere." With a resigned sigh he activated it, "Shinra," he began, "We have a problem."


	15. Regrets

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 15: Regrets**

'I should be happy,' 'Yuna' looked up to the sky, Paine sound asleep behind her as she peered out through the hole in the old house they were resting in. 'Yuna is my loyal pet, a fitting punishment for the one who stole the Fayth from us and doomed Tobius and Koji. And now the girl Rikku has run off on her own. It would be so easy to corner her and create another pet to protect the home they destroyed.'

She paused, looking back to Paine, the red eyed girls voice paying through her thoughts, 'The Crimson Squad was to be the Elite of the Crusaders, but the Crusaders were wiped out by Sin and the Crimson Squad turned on one another because of a single Unsent, driven to destroy. He took the body of one of them and used it to destroy not just the Crimson Squad but all of Spira...or at least he tried to...Yuna stopped that too.'

A Fiend ran past and she held her breath until it passed. She rose peeking out of the ruined wall, all seemed clear.

'Maybe I was wrong?' She mused, looking back at Paine, 'Maybe it is I who failed the Fayth?'

Shaking her head she slipped out, "I wish you were her Tobius, Koji, you would know what to do." she whispered as she looked up at the sky, the once more at Paine.

Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, slipping away, 'I can muse further as I work, I still have things that must be done to insure the safety of my home.'

As 'Yuna' slipped away Paine opened one eye, giving a wry smirk as she sphere-changed into a dark catsuit, then seemed to become a blur, sticking to the shadows as she followed 'Yuna.' 'It's time to see what you are really up to.'

'Yuna' was ambushed by a Fiend not long after leaving, Paine hung back hidden, watching her fight, if she needed to she would reveal herself and lend a hand but for now she would only watch.

"Damn it!" swore 'Yuna' as she made a quick attack with her thief blades, dodging the magical blast of her opponent. 'I need more then Berserker as my combat class, but if I change anything the Job Fiends will be effected as well.'

With a grown she sphere-changed into Berserker, launching herself at the monster, it attacked again and 'Yuna' grunted as she took the hit, she counter attacked, smirking after 'One good thing about this class is it is aggressive enough to counter physical and magical attacks reflexively. But if I don't end this quickly I'll wind up a stone statue.'

'Yuna' howled and lunged again, the Fiend dissolving into Pyreflies, wasting no time she hurried off, Paine followed. Soon Paine followed her query into a building, switching back to thief 'Yuna' vanished through a automatic door, she keep quiet as she followed careful not to reveal herself until 'Yuna' entered a chamber, lights came up as she moved to a device, after a few moments several copies of her Garment Grid were removed from the device.

'Yuna' smirked, looking down at her prize, 'Now the question just remains who would be the best subjects to use these on?'

She moved to a console and entered some commands, several liquid filled tubes lit up, exposing the occupants inside, 'Yuna' moved down the line, Paine following unseen, and stopped at the first one.

"Y-Yuna!" Paine said surprised, as she saw a familiar figure, clad only in her swimwear floating in the tube.

'Yuna' looked around quickly, "Who's there.'

Paine revealed herself with a sphere-change into Psychic, her glowing hand outstretched ready to attack, "You had Yuna here the entire time! Explain yourself!"

A smirk played across the imposters lips after her shock had subsided, "Look around."

Paine stepped back, one hand still trained on the imposter, then she gasped, each of the tubes had their own Yuna in it! "Y-You cloned her?"

'Yuna' shook her head, "In only the loosest sense. After all I am for all intents and purposes a clone."

Paine growled, "No more games, Explain yourself!"

'Yuna' rose her arms wide as she paced down the row, "Is it obvious my dear? These are Fiends and Machina that I captured then imprinted with the same means that made me who you see. Once I install the garment grid they will be able sphere-change as well. Yuna will be the ultimate protector of Libera."

Paine lowered her hand and stepped back, "Your mad, you can't just give fiends the power of the Garment Grid, they will kill you! And Machina? This system was designed for living things!"

"Ah and there you see my problem, The Machina I can control, they would be loyal and obedient, but their have a low compatibility with the system. The Fiends take to the system like a fish to water, in fact I can fuse them with a copy and turn them into even greater creatures, personifications of the dresssphere, but there is always the worry they will rebel, even WITH my control collars in place."

"C-Control Collars?" Paine wonder aloud.

'Yuna' nodded, "It slaves their minds to a set of programed commands, making them quite a bit more controllable."

"When did you find the time to do all this! Yuna hasn't been gone all that long!" Paine said aghast.

"My dear the Garment Grid system may be new but I have had to protect myself without the benefits of my magic or summoning arts for nearly three years. How do you suppose I survived when most of the Machina were damaged and the city running on reserve power?"

Paine's eyes grew wide, "You were taming Fiends?"

'Yuna' nodded, "Is that so big a surprise, your Trainer sphere calls spirits in the form of animals to aid you. That is not much different from Fiends or even Aeons."

Paine nodded apprehensively, "I suppose. But why...how do they all have Yuna's imprint."

"Again Paine you underestimate me, As soon as I realized what I had...stumbled...upon with the Garment Grid I set to work replicating it, even before I understood the inner workings. If my grid were to be destroyed where would I be without a backup. And considering the power they give it would be a fools errand to not try and replicate it for the city's defense. I did all that long before we met, it was the first thing I did, this is only the end of the experiment. Where I release pass produced Garment-Fiends or Garment-Machina." She held up the Garment Grid copies, "I have enough to complete the process, I just need to decide on the test cases: Machina or Fiends."

Paine moved closer to a tank, "This is so strange." Looking over at the line of Yunas then to the stranger, "If you use Machina they will all look like her, a bunch of exact clones?"

"In theory yes," 'Yuna' nodded.

"And the fiends, the same? We would not be able to tell the real one from your copies?"

'Yuna' smirked, "Oh on the contrary, I have already tested the procedure on the few Fiends that I had already tamed and felt the most stable. Do you remember when Yuna was consumed by the Berserker?"

Paine glared death at the stranger, "How did you know about that."

"I saw it on my monitors, at the time I wasn't sure what to make of it but it became obvious later as I met you all."

Paine was silent a moment, "Soooo the Fiends...they would become some mutation? They wouldn't look like we do?"

'Yuna' nodded.

Paine took a deep breath, "Go with that one, I don't know how Rikku would react if she ran across a dozen Yuna clones who were all mindless machines, at least she won't recognize the fiends."

'Yuna' smiled, "As you wish." moving to one of the tubes, looking at the copy a moment then to Paine, "I don't suppose I could convince you to give up your own Garment Grid so I could make some with your template."

Paine looked to the floating copies and a vision of Rikku freaking out after running into a Yuna-Fiend flashes through her eyes, shutting her eyes tight she handed over both of her garment grids, "Here! Use me instead, recall the ones you have in the field as well pattern them all on me! I don't want anything distracting us from finding Yuna, and Garment-Clones, even Fiend Clones will only make that more complicated!"

'Yuna' took a step back in surprise, then a smile grew across her features, 'This could work out perfectly. Especially with the original repatterned to Paine.'

'Yuna' reached out her hand, brushing the edge of the garment grid, but stopped pulling back, "Wait a moment...this could be the solution to my own problems as well."

"Eh?"

"Your Yuna's grid is configured mostly for support. But with you here we can configure a grid specifically tailored to the city's defense and my own survival. One grid for me to move around with, and one for my soldiers."

Paine glanced aside at one of the tanks, "I suppose."

"Great!" 'Yuna' laughed, "Let's get to work!"


	16. Treasure Hunt

**FFX-2: Ties That Bind Fanfic**

**Chapter 16: Treasure Hunt**

Rikku rose her head and howled, replenishing her vitality in the process as the Fiends evaporated into pyreflies behind her. Her breathing was ragged as she sniffed the air. 'Come on Yunnie where are you?'

She smashed the ground with her fist and growled irritably, wiping some sleep from her eyes, "No!"

'I'm not going to sleep, I can't!' She yawned again, and growled, "Maybe just for a hour or three." She relented, looking around for a usable shelter for her nap, heading for the nearest building, but as she approached the door a electric beep stopped her, looking at the keypad she growled slightly, "Locked."

But her expression quickly changed, "Wait a minute." her smile grew, "Now I can see what your really up to." she purred as she sphere-changed to Thief and started began hacking the terminal, a moment later the door hissed and opened.

Cautiously she entered.

The corridor was sparse, with another lock on the other side, easy enough for the Al Bhed to bypass before she entered the main room where she took a sharp gasp.

There was a strange lab table, with a even strange device hooked up to the back, the main entrance in front of her looked like fiends had been trying to claw their way in, and to her right was a row of console and monitors. She headed there first.

"What do we have here," she wiped sleep from her eyes again, yawning, and stepped back as a chamber opened on the console, something that looked recently added, with the words "Please Insert Result Plate." flashing on the screen, with a yawn she did as told then yawned finding a corner of the room to curl up in and nod off to sleep, mumbling "I'll check the results in the morning." as she drifted off to sleep, not competently cure on what she had just done or really thinking of the danger of being in a room with a partially compromised blast door.

Meanwhile in another Lab Paine awoke from a makeshift cot in the dark Fiend Lab to see a figure, half cast in the shadows slipping out of her own bed, "Where are you going?"

"I still have places to check up on, work to do."

"You need sleep," Paine ordered.

The girl smirked, coming into the light to reveal another Paine, one with brown eyes, "Again you underestimate me. I have had to survive for almost 3 years in this place. I sleep for maybe a hour at a time. I can't just change my habits now. You rest, I'll be back soon then together we can find Rikku and you can give her Yuna's Garment Grid now that we have come to new arrangements."

Paine narrowed her eyes a moment, then relaxed, "Fine."

Settling back into her bed Paine watched as her brown eyed double slipped out, "I won't be long."

She said nothing but kept her eyes on her double until she was out of sight, then settled back to sleep.

Stepping out into the streets of the city 'Paine' smiled, a warm feeling filling her as she looked around as the lights of the various factories and towers they had gotten running. Then her stomach twisted into a knot as she remembered Tobius and Koji, the horrified look on the Former's face as his magic failed him, and Koji's own look of terror as his Wyvern was over-souled, eyes glowing with menace as it's neck whipped around and...

'Paine' flinched, eyes shut tights as if closing them and looking away would prevent the memory in all it's detail from playing out before her mind's eye. The Crunch of metal, the roar of a beast, the snapping of bone. It was almost a relive when Koji's body dissolved into Pyreflies instead of having to see him slowly die first. Then anger as she remembered who was to blame for all of this, who had stolen the Fayth, the magic from the world just to defeat some weapon, just to stop Sin.

Paine dropped to her knees, the anger that welled up draining out as she begin to weep.

'No that isn't right.' she reminded herself, Yuna was not the enemy she so desperately wanted her to be. Yuna had only done what so many others before her had done, only she had succeed where they had failed. Where she herself had failed to go.

The Final Summoning.

She still didn't understand all of it, after all she had been holed up in the city for what had felt like several lifetimes, she had missed out on what had gone on beyond the walls. Hell she didn't even know if the War was still going on, or who had won. In the end the war meant nothing, this city was all that mattered, and once it was restored she would welcome even their bitter enemies into it's walls with open arms. Three years completely alone fighting for one's own survival had put many thing is prospective.

'Paine' gasped as she suddenly picked up speed into a mad dash sphere-changing to Thief as her mind wandered to a terrible thought, "I hope the process is reversible."

The path to the old lab was easy enough to find, 'Paine' after all knew this town like the back of her hand, and getting back inside was no terrible problem. The Command room still uncompromised though the door was far to damage to ever open again. 'Paine' took a great sigh of relive to see that it was still all operating as expected, then she saw the monitors, and more importantly "Scanning new Result Plates."

Curiously she moved over, inspecting the setting, and then she heard a soft moan, Rikku stirring from her slumber a moment, 'Paine's' heart skipping a beat at the green eyed girl yawned to say, "Paine what are you..."

But drifted back to sleep.

Taking a moment to remind herself of her new form 'Paine' let out a relived breath, 'Maybe I can still fix things before she wakes in the morning.'

And quickly 'Paine' got to work.


End file.
